When the heart muscle is deprived off oxygenated blood either partially or fully the person gets an attack. Without oxygen the heart muscle cannot survive. This can occur when plaque like fat particles get deposited in the coronary arteries of the heart muscle which gradually becomes narrow. In some cases blood clot gets separated from the plaque like substance traveling to the heart major heart muscle thus blocking the blood flow. This process is known as ischemia and if death of heart muscle occurs due to this process it is known as heart attack.
Chest pain .Vs. Heart attack :
Not all the chest pain is heart attack. Chest pain can occur due to many reasons including gastric problem, increased blood pressure and heightened emotions. Angina is the medical term for the slight discomfort occurring in the heart muscle which lasts only for few minutes. Chest pain due to heart attack would not stop but it progresses rapidly causing more complications like shortness of breath, profuse sweating and pain would spread in the left shoulder and your back.
Statistics :
For every 43 seconds one person in the USA gets heart attack. Around 6 million die because of heart attack and related heart diseases. Each year 7.5 million people of America get a heart attack and out of these 5.25 million gets first attack and others it is the second heart attack.
Warning Signs Of Heart Attack :
In spite of repeated attempts for creating awareness on heart attack, only 27 out of 100 people surveyed know about all major symptoms and others are not. Cardiac deaths can considerably be prevented if the people act promptly on getting warning signs. It is reported about 48% of deaths due to heart attack occur outside the hospital.
Import warning signals of heart attack are :
- Persistent chest pain or discomfort
- Pain in the neck, arms, jaw and back region
- Shortness of breath
- Profuse sweating, nausea or feeling dizzy
Who Are At High Risk Of Getting A Heart Attack? :